Air, Earth, and Sea - Oki x Amaterasu
by blueranyk
Summary: Gods and mortals didn't mix; at least, not usually. Perhaps it would be up to him to break the rules. Spans from the end of Okami to some time afterwards. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Oh spirits of the air, earth, and sea... grant us your divine power.

_He still remembered the day he had first set eyes upon her. Her pelt sparkled with a thin coating of frost, shot through with vibrant crimson swirls. Her eyes glittered, holding sundrops reflected on snow, telling of a thousand sunrises caught in her irises. The divine instrument on her back twirled, scattering snowflakes and tiny licks of flame from its surface. The she-wolf held herself like a queen; she knew her place in the world. Her mere image radiated power - the power of a goddess._

_Perhaps it was all just a stupid fantasy. Perhaps it was never meant to be._

The moment Amaterasu's tail disappeared from sight, around a corner and into the belly of Wawku Shrine, Oki collapsed beside Shiranui, falling into a lake of the she-wolf's blood. Her once-beautiful white fur was stained scarlet, streaming from her many wounds. Her breath came in labored, ragged gasps; her eyes had lost their usual luster.

She was clearly dying. Oki squeezed his eyes shut, feeling her blood seeping into his fur as he curled around her. He had Shiranui's blood on his paws, both literally and metaphorically. It was his fault.

Shiranui let out a soft whimper, shifting slightly. One golden eye drifted open. Oki gently licked away the blood that surrounded it, revealing the crimson markings on her fur that came not from gore; they marked her as a goddess. It was a mark she had always carried.

The she-wolf shifted closer to him, closing her eyes and resting her head on her front paws. It was a completely new kind of agony, to be forced to watch, but unable to help. It felt as if somebody had plunged claws deep into his chest, tearing out his heart, letting his blood mix with Shiranui's.

Shiranui sighed again, her breath catching in her chest. Oki buried his muzzle in the whisper-soft fur on the back of the she-wolf's neck. She looked so small, so exposed. He had failed to protect her; now they would both pay the price for his mistake.

A small noise sounded in the darkness surrounding them, and Oki sat up. The thick mane of fur on the back of his neck bristled aggressively, only to fall flat as a tiny figure, no taller than his front paw, emerged from the shadows. He had been told that the she-wolf's companion would find them.

Shiranui lifted her muzzle and made a small, hopeful noise. Oki could sense a bond between them and instinctively knew that she would be okay. At least, she would be okay long enough so that he could see her again before she died.

He sat back for a moment to clean the she-wolf's blood from his fur. He almost didn't want to; part of him wanted to keep Shiranui's blood as a memory.

But he knew it would only cause him more pain. So he licked the blood from his fur, cleaning it thoroughly, leaving no trace.

Oki rose and walked slowly off the clock-like platform, shoulders hunched. He cast one last look back at Shiranui, still sprawled across the glass, bathed in crimson, and his heart ached fiercely. Gods and mortals didn't mix. At least, not usually.

Perhaps it would be up to him to break the rules.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Oki gritted his teeth and slashed at the tree trunk again, inflicting another grievous wound. After many weeks, he still remembered the day Amaterasu had departed to the Celestial Plain.

He remembered the look she had given him, like she was saying good-bye with her eyes.

_Slash._

He remembered that imbecile Waka dancing with her, as if he was entitled to do that.

_Slash._

He remembered the door closing with a crushing finality, like a shooting star that blazes through the sky for only a moment before disappearing, never to be seen again.

_Slash._

The tree trunk slid sideways, severed from its roots. Oki stepped back, watching it as it fell. Ever since Amaterasu had left, he had taken to wandering the furthest corners of Kamui, where the uncharted wilderness was equal to no other. He had also visited the shrine of Kutone quite often, standing behind the sacred sword and watching the sky that had swallowed up the Ark of Yamato, the imposing iron ark that had fallen from the heavens. It seemed fitting that the root of all evil in Nippon would also become the root of all of Oki's grief. It had taken Amaterasu away from him, after all.

Oki closed his eyes briefly and leapt, flipping into his wolf form. He felt his paws hit cold ice crystals as he landed, crunching through the thin layer of snow on the surface. Without a moment's hesitation, he took off running, heading down the narrow path that led to Kutone's shrine. Snow and shards of ice sprayed from his paws as he sprinted, muscles pumping smoothly under the thick mane of red fur surrounding his neck.

As he reached the shrine, a pinprick of light in the clouds overhead caught his eye. Looking up, Oki saw a tiny form in the distance, growing steadily larger as it drew nearer. However, obscured by clouds and endless sheets of snow, it was still impossible to distinguish what it was.

Oki squinted suddenly as a pale turquoise sheet flashed in the clouds. It couldn't be, but it was.

The Ark of Yamato had returned to Nippon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter 3! Sorry that there's not much happening as of now; I promise it'll pick up soon. c: Hope you enjoy anyways!**

Amaterasu stretched sedately, gazing down upon the Celestial Plain. She had long since restored order to the heavens; doing so had granted her a human form, which had been her original form until she had come into the world as Shiranui the white wolf. Her thick, pale hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her back, stopping at her waist. Two long strands in the front had been tied with bright crimson ribbon and hung down in front of her shoulders. Her long white kimono sat loosely around her, exposing the tops of her shoulders, and was embroidered with the red markings that had also formed on her skin.

Despite having gained a human form, the goddess still was not satisfied. Although evil had clouded her horizons down in Nippon, at least her life there had been filled with adventure. Each day had held a new surprise, a new person to meet, or a new monster to fight. She missed Kamiki Village, with the proud and beautiful cherry blossoms gracing every ridge, every islet, and every field. She missed looking out over Lake Harami at sunset, bearing witness to the sun's demise upon the furthest reaches of the water, staining the waves with shades of fuchsia, violet, and crimson.

Most of all, she missed Kamui. She missed the untamed wilderness and the rogue winds that sifted through her fur, sending snow scattering over frozen water. She missed the towering pines, weighed down by gleaming icicles, which stretched far above her, making her life seem small and insignificant.

Amaterasu had seen many beautiful things and restored many beautiful places on her travels. But even a fertile land graced with the presence of cherry blossoms and fresh breezes couldn't compare to Kamui's beauty. Kamui was harsh, wild, unpredictable, and dangerous - and she had loved it.

She remembered what it had felt like to board the Ark of Yamato. She remembered walking up the rainbow bridge, feeling as if a large part of her heart was being left behind with every step. She remembered Waka appearing, spoiling her solemn entrance. She remembered looking back towards the altar and seeing Oki, gazing at her with unfathomable red eyes from behind his mask.

Suddenly, it felt as if a boulder had lodged itself in her throat. Ammy blinked and swallowed, trying to make the agony in her throat go away. At first, she had thought of him only as a warrior, as somebody she would want to have on her side in a fight. But at Wawku Shrine, the way he had looked at her, flicking her a brief glance from his brilliantly red eyes, made her feel as if she were floating.

She had fallen in love.

Ammy would never admit this to anyone, not even herself.

Time and time again, she would lay awake in bed during the night, gazing up at the star-patterned ceiling of her throne room, wondering if he would feel the same way were she ever to confess her feelings to him. And time and time again, she would tell herself that it didn't matter, that she would never see him again.

_Unless..._

Ammy shook her head. She had been left in charge of the Celestial Plain; she couldn't just leave.

_It would only be for a little while,_ she thought, trying to convince herself. _I could see Kamui again. I could see Oki again._

It only took a moment of internal debate before Amaterasu got up from her glittering marble throne and wound her way through her palace in the Celestial Plain, finally ending up at the door leading to the Ark's landing bay. She opened the hatch and was greeted by the sight of the iron ark, bathed in sunlight and glowing faintly. The turquoise engravings on the side swam with various shades of blue, as if they were alive.

Amaterasu boarded through the side hatch and stood over the slew of control panels. She had only seen the Ark activated once, when Waka had taken her to the Celestial Plain. She began pressing buttons, hoping she was doing it in the right order.

By some miracle, the Ark hummed to life, holographic screens flickering. Ammy smiled with her bright red lips and punched in the coordinates to Ezofuji, the sacred mountains of Kamui.

The Ark's sails caught the Celestial Plain's perpetual breeze. It lifted slowly into the sky, the exterior glittering as rays of warm golden light hit it.

The Ark of Yamato didn't need a pilot to control it, so Amaterasu returned to the ship's helm and stood at the very tip, feeling wind rush past her face, blowing her hair into wild snarls, sometimes gusting so hard that tears came to her eyes.

And just like that, Kamui came into view.


	4. Chapter 4

Oki flipped back into his human form, watching as the Ark of Yamato descended from the clouds overhead. The iron ship's surface glinted, as if it had just been washed, and the blue engravings adorning it swam with many shades of aqua, teal, and ultramarine. Oki caught his breath as the Ark hovered above Laochi Lake. The hatch in the side opened, and a long, slender rainbow came arcing out, touching down at the edge of Kutone's shrine.

It was real. The Ark had returned.

A woman ducked through the hatch and began walking down the rainbow bridge. She was a couple inches shorter than him, but still fairly tall. Her bright red lips were parted in a smile, and her alabaster hair was tossed over her shoulders, wind-swept and wild. She was very pale, with intelligent golden eyes outlined in striking vermilion.

Amaterasu had returned.

It took all of Oki's self control not to run to the rainbow bridge and meet the goddess halfway. Instead, he waited for the few agonizing moments it took for Amaterasu to step lightly onto the edge of Kutone's shrine. She skirted around the sacred sword, stopping in front of Oki.

"Oki!" she said, her voice filled with delight. "I decided to come back to Nippon, just for a little while. I set the Celestial Plain in order, but afterwards I got kinda bored."

"Amaterasu?" There was no doubt it was her, but Oki still couldn't believe his eyes.

"Yeah, it's me," she said, sounding amused. "Are you pleased?"

"Uh... sure," Oki replied, wondering what she meant by that. Of course, she couldn't know that he had fallen for her. Surely she would have no way of knowing.

Oki stepped towards her and briskly rubbed her bare shoulders. Her skin was smooth and cold under his hands. "You must be freezing," he said, locking his crimson gaze with her amber one.

"Um, yeah, a little bit," Ammy replied, shrugging. Oki could feel her shivering next to him.

"Let's go back to my place," Oki suggested, glancing up at the sun. It was partly hidden by clouds, offering little warmth. It had already begun to set, giving the sky a pale mauve hue. The days were always shorter in Kamui, so sunset came earlier than usual.

"'Kay," Ammy said agreeably. "Lead the way, O mighty warrior."

Oki shot her a look and flipped into his wolf form. To his surprise, she did the same. He had thought that she had lost her wolf form, but it seemed that she was like the Oina tribe now.

The two set off through the snow at a run, spraying glittering flakes from their paws, tails streaming out in the wind. Amaterasu lengthened her stride, sprinting at full pelt, and pulled up alongside Oki. She gave him a tongue-lolling grin and began pulling ahead. Oki sped up as well until he was close enough to give her a good-natured shove with his shoulder. She stumbled but kept her footing. It was enough for Oki to get ahead by a few paces.

"Cheater!" Ammy teased from behind him. Oki kept on running until he felt Ammy jostle into his haunches. He skidded in the snow, and Ammy darted ahead, stopping at his new hut in Wep'keer.

"You just said that was cheating," Oki protested, loping up to where the goddess was waiting with a self-satisfied grin on her face.

"It's not cheating if I do it," she replied smugly, wagging her tail.

"Whatever," Oki said, willing to let the subject drop. Both canines flipped back into their human forms. Oki held the door back so that Amaterasu could enter, following her as she went in.

Inside, a fire at the center of the room was blazing, scattering red and orange light over the walls. Ammy sat down, hugging herself to stay warm. Oki sat across from her, but she scooted over until their shoulders were nearly touching.

"I'm still cold," Ammy said, looking up at Oki with round golden eyes.

Oki sighed inwardly. "Okay, but only because I can't resist you when you give me those sad puppy eyes."

Ammy made a small victory noise and huddled closer to Oki. Oki slid his mask away from his face and set it behind him, then put his arms around Amaterasu. The goddess made a contented noise and rested her head on his chest.

"Mmm," she murmured sleepily, already nodding off. "It's warmer here."

And it was.


End file.
